Speed controlling mechanism



E. E. WINKLEY SPEED CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed July 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l hm/ n Aug. .16, 1932.

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UlTED STATES ERASTUS E. WINKLEY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS SPEED CONTROLLING MECHANISM Application field July 26, 1929. Serial No. 381,144.

This invention relates to speed controlling mechanism for engines or motors employed wherever it may be desired to maintain a uniform speed of operation regardless of va riations in the load upon the engine. An important field of use of the invention. is in the control of automobile engines, and for purposes of illustration my invention will be de scribed as adapted for this purpose although it is of more general application.

Many attempts have been made so to con trol the engine of an automobile that the vehicle will maintain auniform speed upon the. road regardless of load, grade or of the surface conditions encountered. In practice,

these conditions cause the load upon the engine to fluctuate suddenly between wide extremes and on this account direct governor control has not proved satisfactory or adequate heretofore. This is partly because the range of movement required of the valve or other controlling device exceeds that which can be efficiently transmitted directly from a governor and partly because the controlling means has not heretofore been brought under the control of the governor with suificient delicacy and responsiveness. It is with these difficult problems that my invention is principally concerned. Y

I have discovered that satisfactory results may be achieved by providing power-operated means for moving the valve or other controlling device in opposite directions, combined with governor controlling means for determining the direction of valve movement.

In accordance with my invention, I do not rely upon the governor itself as a source of motive power for operating the valve or controlling device, but utilize it for directing the action of power-operated means, which latter means effects the controlling movement of the valve or other device more promptly, more powerfully, and through a greater range of move ment than would be otherwise possible.

5? a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide oppositely-moving power-operated elements, both of which are continuously maintained in operative relation to a driven device, such as a cam, and are arranged so that the particular power-operated element 'sists in automatic controlling means which required is selectively rendered effective by the action of the governor according as the engine speed is exceeding or falling below a predetermined point.

Another feature of my invention consists u in means for so adjusting the controllin mechanism as to maintain the engine spec constant at different predetermined points at the option of the driver. For example,itmay be desired to maintain the vehicle at a uniform speed of 20 miles an hour under some conditions while miles an hourmay be preferable under other conditions. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, I effect this result by providing means for conveniently changing the ratio of governor speed to engine speed and thereby vary the effective rangeof the governor in accordance with the results desired.

Another feature of the invention consists in means for adjusting the speed controlling mechanism in the extent of its range of con trolling movement inaccordance with the load imposed upon the engine. One method in which this may be efli'ected is by varying the amplitude of movement transmitted to the valve or controlling deviceby the poweroperated elements of the mechanism. With such provision I am enabled to maintain the engine speed practically constant regardless of the number of passengers carried by the vehicle and without special adjustment of. the governor. 1 v u I Still another feature of the invention conmay be quickly and conveniently thrown out of operation in case it should be desired to bringthe engine under the manual control of the driver. Asherein shown, this is efiected by providing a yielding connection in the train of mechanism for automatically moving the valve or controlling device so that the latter may be directly engaged by a sec 0nd train of mechanism under the immediate control of the driver, all without disturbing or disconnecting the automatic mechanism. These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, showing the complete mechanism somewhat diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the operating mechanism with parts of the casing broken away; and V Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective of the pawl controlling mechanism.

The operating mechanism is mounted in a box-like casing 10 which is adapted to be secured in position adjacent to the automobile engine. It contains a longitudinally-disposed driving shaft 12 journaled in the walls of the casing 10 and having a pulley 14 upon its outer end by which the whole mechanism is driven directlyfrom a pulley on the cam shaft of the engine or from some other part thereof, rotating in predetermined ratio to the engine speed.

A second longitudinal shaft 16 is similarly journaled in the casing 10 and carries at its rear end a governor of the fly ball type,

comprising weights 18 carried by spring leaves-20 connected atone end to a sliding disk 22 which is arranged to be moved outwardly or toward the left when the weights 18 are moved outwardly under the influence ofcentrifugal force. The governor shaft 16 carries largeand small gears 24 and 26 through which the shaft is driven by a pair of change gears 28 and 30 fast toa sliding sleeve 32 keyed upon the driving shaft 12. As shown in Fi s. 2 and 3, the sleeve 32 occupies its rearmost or left-hand position, in which the smaller driving gear 3" meshes with the larger driven gear 24 ongthe governor shaft 16. r

At its rearward end the sleeve 32 is provided with acollar 34 which receives a fork 36 on the forward end of a controlling rod 38 extending through the instrument board 40 of the automobile and provided with an operating head 42 within convenient reach of the operator. lVhen the controlling rod 38 is pushed forwardly, the gear 30 is disengaged from the driven gear 24 and the driving gear 28 is carried into mesh with the smaller driven gear 26. The governor. therefore, is driven at a higher speed'with reference to the engine speech The purpose of this change gear set is to enable the governor to be utilized within a range of speed limits most advantageous to the speed desired in the motorvehicle or in which the governcr will be most responsive its action to variations in speed; For example, the operator wishes to hold the vehicle speed uniform at a relatively high rate, the change gears will be shifted to drive the governor at its lower'rate. 'The' change gear set illustrated affords considerable flexibility in determining the ratio of speed between the governor and the engine and it will be apparent that a still greater chan e of ratio may be secured by changing the size of the gears of the set.

The drive shaft 12 carries an intermediate worm 44 meshing with the worm wheel 46 on a transverse shaft 48 journaled in the casing 10 and carrying inside the wall of the casing a gear 49. The gear 49 meshes with an intermediate gear 50 on a stub shaft 51 which, in turn, meshes with a driven gear 52 fast on a second transverse shaft 54, also journaled in the casing 10 and carrying near its outer end a friction disk 56 which is thus constantly driven in a clockwise direction (viewing Figs. 1 and 3) at relatively low speed. A cam disk 58 is loosely mounteu upon the shaft 54 and is pressed against the frietion disk 56 by a collar 60 actuated by a compression spring 62 confined between the collar 60 and an adjustable head 64 threaded,

on the outer end of the transverse shaft 54. The cam disk 58 has a fixed spiral'cam face which acts upon a bell crank cam lever 66 pivotally mounted upon a stud 67 projecting from the side of the casing 10 and having in its short arm a suitable cam roll. The long arm of the bell crank lever is'provided with a slot 68, to which is adjustably connected a controlling rod 70, connected at its lower end to an arm 72 which operates the main fuel valve 74 in the intake manifold 76 of the engine. V

Loosely mounted on the transverse shaft 54 between the outer wall of the casing and the friction disk 56 is journaled a ratchet disk 80 and a large gear 81 secured together and rotating as one piece. The gear 81 is driven by a pinion 82 on the outer end of the transverse shaft 48,.with the result that the ratchet disk 80 is rotated uniformly at substantially the same rateof speed as the friction disk 56 and in the opposite direction, that is tov say, contra-clockwise (viewing Figs. 1 and 3).

The cam disk 58 is provided with bearings 83 for a short shaft 84 which passes inward below the clutch disk 56 and carriesa pawl 85 at its inner endarranged to cooperate with the under portion of the ratchet disk 80. Normally the pawl 85 is held downward and out of engagement with the ratchet disk but when swung upward into engagement therewith it has the effect of clutching the cam disk 58 to the ratchet disk so that the cam disk rotates with the ratchet disk in a contraclockwise direction. The pawl shaft 84 carries an upstanding arm 86 located in the path of movement of a bell crank lever 87 pivotally mounted on a post 88 projecting from the cam disk 58. One arm of the bell crank extends inward and is housed in a slot in said'post and the other arm extends rearward. A tension spring 89, connected between a pin on the post 88 and a pin projecting from the'pawl shaft 84, tends normally to rock the shaft 84 in a direction to hold the' pawl out of engagement with the ratchet disk (see Fig. 1). x

The'slot-housed arm of the bell crank lever 87 is swung forwardly to rock the arm 86 and the shaft 84 against the tension of the spring 89 and throw the pawl upward into engagement with the ratchet disk 80. This is effected by governor-controlled means, including an arm 90, for engaging the rearward arm of the bell crank 87, that is fast to a longitudinal shaft 91 journaled in bracket arms 91 projecting outwardly from the easing lOand having near its rear end an inwardly-projecting arm 92. The arm 92 overlies the forward end of an arm 93 fast to a transverse shaft 94: journaled in a bracket 95, secured to the rear wall of the casing10. The shaft 94 carries at its inner end a sec-- ond arm 96 which bears upon and is controlled by the axial movement of the governor disk 22. Accordingly, when the governor disk moves toward the left (in Figs. 1 and 3), as the speed of the mechanism increases, the arm 96 is swung in a contra-clockwise direction and, through the train of mechanism just described, the arm 86 is swung forwardly, overcoming the tension of the spring 89 and lifting the pawl 85 to engage with the ratchet disk 80 so that the cam disk 58 will be rotated positively in a contra-clockwise direction and the bell crank lever 66 will be rocked by the rotating cam in the direction for closing the fuel valve 74:.

It will be noted that the free end of the rearward arm of the bell crank lever 87 is rounded and is located in axial alignment with the shaft 54, with the result that it is maintained in operative relation to the end of the arm in all positions of the cam disk 58. The arm 90 is so disposed as to make con.- tact with the end of the bell crank lever in line with the axis of the cam disk 58. I

While the throw of the cam lever 66 is uni- 1 form, its action upon the fuel valve 7 4 may be adj ustably controlled from the instrument board by the operator in accordance with the load carried by the vehicle. To this end, a rod 100 is slidably mounted in a bracket 101 projecting from the instrument board 10 and is connected at its forward end to an arm 102 fast to a shaft 103 journaled in thebracket on the casing. At its outer end the shaft 103 carries an upwardly-extending arm 104 and between this and the upper end of the rod 70 is interposed a link 105. At its rear end the rod is provided with anoperating head 106 with which cooperates a fixed scale 107 on the instrument board. A friction plug 108 in the bracket 101 acts to maintain the rod in whatever adjusted position it may be set. As the rod 100 is pushed forwardly, the point of connection between the rod 70 a and the bell crank lever 66 is pushed along the curved slot 68 toward the center of motion of the bell crank lever 66, so that for a given throw of this lever a smaller amplitude of foot. Through a pair of spaced plungers 111 and 112 the pivoted member operates a lever 114 pivotally mounted upon the forward faceof the partition on a shaft 113 carrying near one end a'pair of friction disks Pivotally connected tothe upper end of the lever 114 is a link 115 having a V- shaped end disposed with its opening downwardly and embracing between its sides an outwardly-projecting stud 116 on the controlling rod 70. The link 115 is connected by a vertical link 117 to a bell crank lever 118 pivotally mounted on the forward side of the instrument board and connected by a link 119 to a hand lever 120 pivotally mounted on the rear face of the instrument board within convenient reach of the operator.

The hand lever controls the position of the operating link 115. As shown in Fig. 1, the

hand lever is swung inwardly at its upper end so as to lift the operating link 115, positioningthe'wide outer end of the V-shaped opening opposite the stud 116 so that the latter may make its'full movement without being in any way interfered with by the operating link. \Vhen the hand lever 120 is pulled away from the instrument board 40 the operating link 115 is immediately lowered and the V-shaped opening centers itself upon the stud 116.

The rod 70 is telescopic in character, having an inner portion 122 provided with a collar 123 normally held in contact with a lug 124 upon the main tubular portion of the rod by a strong expansion spring 125 interposed between the lug 124 and the collar 126. A weaker tension spring 128 extends between a pin projecting from the rod 70 and a pin Y projecting from the casing 10, and acts normally to pull the rod as a whole toward the right, as seen in Fig. 1, holding the short arm of the cam lever 66 against the spiral cam face of the cam disk 58 and tending to swing the valve 74 to its closed position.

The mode of operation of'the mechanism herein described will be apparent from the foregoing description but may be summarized briefly as follows- The rod 100 is moved by the head 106 to a position indicated on the scale 107 corresponding to the load in the vehicle or to which the engine is to be subjected. The mechanism is operated from the engine through the pulley 14 and the ratchet disk 80 and friction disk 56 are rotated conoccupy some such position as that shown in Fig. 1, in which the fuel valve 7 4 may be fully open. Assuming now that the load upon the engine decreases as, for example, when the.

vehicle reaches a level stretch and that the engine speed tends to increase, the governor thereupon acts to permit the pawl 85 to engage with the'ratchet disk 80 so that the cam 58 is rotated in a contra-clockwise direction and the cam lever 66 is rocked forwardly by the action of the. spring 128 as the rod'ZO moves the valve 74toward throttling'position, thereby tending to decrease the .engine speed by cutting down the fuel supplied thereto. The engine speed, consequently, tends immediately to be reduced and the gov: ernor thereupon permits disengagement of the pawl 85 from the ratchet disk 80. The cam disk 58 is thus relieved from the dominating control of the ratchet disk and imme liately comes under the influence. of the fric tion disk 56, which tends to shift it in the opposite direction and open the fuel valve to bring up the engine speed. The mechanism will continue to operate in this balanced fashion, maintaining the enginespee'd uniform by closing the fuel valve as itsspeed increases andby opening the fuel valve as its speed decreases.

The setting of the controlling rod 100 which regulates the amplitude of movement of the rod 7 O adapts the mechanism to different conditions of average load upon the engine; that is to say, if the engine is heavily loaded, a greater amplitude of movement is required in the fuel valve than if the engine be lightly loaded. If it is desired to maintain a uniform engine speed at a lower point, the rod 38 maybe operated to change the speed ratio of the governorwith respect to the engine and thus bring the governor into its most sensitive range of action.

From. the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided an engine-driven unit which includes the governor, the actuat- 5 ing disks 56 and 80, and the cam 58, which is arranged to partake of a. balanced movement between the two actuators which is controlled by the governor. The engine-driven unit is complete and self-contained and may be 6Q mounted, at any convenient location with reference to the automobile engine. It may be arranged to act upon an engine-controlling,

device, such as, the valve 74, located at a point remote fromit. Its action in respectto ratio .9 ofgovernor speed .and amplitude of motion is at all times under the drivers control from the. instrument board. It will be apparent that the valve 7 k or other engine-controlling device. may be operated. through whatever range and with whatever power-may be required, since this is derived from the powerdriven actuators and not from the governor. The function of the governor, on the other hand, is merely .thatof controlling the time and the interval of action of the respective actuators as they are rendered selectively ope erative, a function which may be performed adequately by the governor in that it requires a relatively small amount of motion and slight force.

Having thus described my invention, what I'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Speed controlling mechanism comprising a valve, power-operated elements running in opposite directions, a spiral cam arranged to be rotated by oneelement or the other, an. operating train of mechanism between the, peripheral face of said cam and the valve, and governor-controlled means for determining which of said elements shall be effective.

2. Speed controlling mechanism comprising a valve, power-operated elements running in opposite directions, a cam frictionally connected to one of said elements, an operating train between said cam and valve, and governor-controlled means for'positively con necting said cam at a predetermined, engine speed to the other of said elements.

3. Speed controlling mechanism for an en gine, comprising an engine-regulating device, two power-operated elements driven in opposite directions, a cam, two independent connecting means respectively operatively associating the cam with both elements and arranged to give the cam a balanced movement between the two elements, connections between said cam and regulating device, and means for controlling the balanced movement of the cam in accordance with the engine. speed.

4. Speed controlling-mechanism for an engine, comprising an engine-controlling device, a powenactuator driven always in one direction, atrain of mechanism between said controlling device and actuator including a member always in frictional driving engagement with the said actuator, a second poweractuator driven always in the opposite direction, and governor controlled means for positively connecting said frictionally driven member temporarily to said latter actuator.

5. Speed controlling mechanism comprising an engine-controlling device adapted upon movement in one direction to increase the engine speed and upon movement in the other'direction to decrease the engine speed, a power-driven actuator having a frictional connection therewith and tending at all times to move said device in the speed increasing direction, and an oppositely-driven poweractuator arranged to be intermittently connected to said device for positively moving it in the speed decreasing direction.

6. Speed controlling mechanism comprising an engine-controlling device, a friction disk and a ratchet disk driven continuously in opposite directions, a cam for operating the controlling device maintained in engagement with said friction disk, a pawl carried by said cam, and governor-controlled means for intermittently engaging said pawl and ratchet disk. 7

7. Speed controlling mechanism comprising a movable engine-controlling device, an engine driven unit including a governor and a pair of oppositely rotating actuators, a

cam arranged to be shifted rotatably in opposite directions by said actuators, mechanism between the cam and the controlling device for moving the latter in accordance with movements of the former, the interval of such shifting movements being determined by said governor, and manually controlled means for selectively limiting the range of movement allowed the said device.

8. Speed controlling mechanism for an engine, comprising a movable engine controlling device, separate actuators driven continuously in opposite directions, a governorcontrolled cam arranged to partake of a balanced rotary movement between the two actuators, an operating train interposed between said cam and said controlling device, and means under the operators control for adjustably determining the amplitude of movement transmitted by said train to said controlling device.

9. Special controlling mechanism for an automobile engine, comprising a fuel valve, an engine-driven unit including a governor and oppositely-rotating disks, a cam frictiona-lly engaged by one disk and urged always in one direction thereby, means operated by the governor for positively connecting the cam to the other disk at a predetermined governor speed whereby the cam is moved in the opposite direction, and a connecting train interposed between said cam and fuel valve.

10. Speed controllingmechanism for an automobile engine, comprising a fuel valve, an engine-driven unit including a governor, a continuously driven disk, a cam having an operative connection with said valve, continuously rotating means in continuous frictional driving connection with the cam, and means under the control of the governor for intermittently connecting said cam and driven disk at a predetermined governor speed.

11. Speed controlling mechanism for an automobile engine, comprising a frame having mounted therein a shaft adapted to be driven by the engine, a governor driven from said shaft, a pair of concentric disks oppositely driven from said shaft, a cam mounted to turn about the axis of said driven disks and arranged to partake of a balanced governor-controlled movement between the two, a cam lever pivotally mounted upon the frame, and an operating rod extending between said cam and the fuel supply valve of the engine.

12. Engine speed controlling mechanism comprising a valve, an engine driven unit including a governor and a pair of actuators, connecting mechanism for driving the actuators at relatively reduced speed and in opposite directions from the unit, a con trolling element in continuous frictional connection with one of the actuators, means controlled by the governor for intermittently connecting the element to the other actuator, and means providing an operative connection between .the element and valve.

Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ERASTUS E. WINKLEY. 

